Book-clasp



" (No Model.)

F. H. SMITH. BOOK CLASP. No. 541,576. Patented June 25, 1895.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRA K H. SMITH, or PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOOK-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,576, dated June 25, 1895. I Application filed September 22, 1894. Serial 110.523,?90. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book-Clasps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to those. combined clasps and pencil holders adapted to be used upon books, portfolios and similar articles, and it has particular reference to those adapted to be applied to diaries and memorandum books. My purpose is to providea metallic clasp of simple and peculiar construction, and so arranged that when closed it can be held in such position by the insertion of a pencil, and unlocked by its withdrawal.

To this end my invention consists of a pair of clasp members, one-of which is adapted to be attached permanently to one side of the cover of the book in proximity to its edges, and the other hinged to the fixed section in such a manner as to overlap the opposite cover of the book, the two when closed, forming a pencil socket. The hinged member is held in locked position by means of a lug, lip or similar projection which lies within the pencil socket, so that when the pencil is inserted the lip will be engaged by the pencil and the clasp locked.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure. 1 represents a perspective view of my complete device as applied to a memorandum or blank book; Fig. 2, a perspective detail view of the clasp detached, and Fig. 3 a transverse section through the clasprand pencil when the parts are in locked adjustment.

In the drawings the reference letter a denotes a book to which my clasp is applied. The fixed section is denoted by the reference letter b, and is made of sheet metal. Its edges are provided with sharp pointed fasteners 01 adapted to pass through the book cover and be clinched down upon the opposite side. The body portion of this section is preferably made oblong in shape and from its side ex tends a wing e the outer edge of which is bent in the form of a partial cylinder or tube having sufficient dimensions to receive a pencil. The inturned end of. this-wing is bifurcated to leave a recess f through which a locking lug g is adapted to pass in the operation of opening and closing the clasp. This locking lug forms a segment of a circle conforming with that of the interior of the tubular wing e and hence with the circumference of the pencil, as seen more clearly in Fig. 3. This lug is carried by and made integral with a hinged section 0 oblong in outline and also provided with a wing it curved at h to conform, when closed, with the shape of the tubular wing e. of a hinge i to the front edge of the wing e, the axis of the hinge extending parellel with the longitudinal axis of the pencil socket. From this construction it will be seen that when the hinged member c is closed to overlap the edge of the book cover, as in Figs. 1 and 3, the lug 9 will pass through the recess fand lie within the pencil socket formed by the wings e, h, so that when the pencil'is inserted itwill pass over the lug and lock the member 0 down upon the cover. Now when it is desired to unclasp the book all that is necessary to be done is to withdraw the pencil, thereby releasing the lug, and hence the hinged member 0, so that the latter will be free to be thrown back out of engagementwith the cover, and in the position shown in Fig. 2.

It isobvious that my invention might be varied in many slight ways that would suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic. There fore I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown, but consider myself entitled to all such variations as c'ome within the scope of my invention What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A combined book-clasp and pencil-holder, composed of'a pair of members one of which is bent to form a cylindrical pencil socket and is adapted to be fastened to the book cover, and the other hinged to the cylindrical portion of the attached section, and provided with a curved lug which when the second member is closed lies within the pencil socket This wing is attached by meansand is engaged bythe insertedpencil to look the clasp, substantially asdescribed.

2. A combined book-clasp and pencil-holder,

consisting of two members one of which is at- 5 tachable to the cover and provided with a.

wing the outer edge of which is bent to form a partial cylinder and bifurcated; and the other member hinged to the outer portion of the cylindrical portion of the first member,

10 and provided with, a segmental lug bent to correspond with the curvature of the interior ofi thecylinder, and to pass through the bifurcation, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK H. SMITH.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN G. PORTER, B. L. WILLIAMs. 

